On Demand
The Leonard Lopate Show
-
Robert Redford (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)On the Record
Robert Redford joins us to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival. Then, two editors from The New York Times discuss how the paper covers culture in its Arts and Leisure weekend section. Jennifer Jason Leigh tells us about her role in the off Broadway production Abigail’s Party. And on the latest edition of Please Explain, we learn about the evolution of sound recording technology.
The Sundance Kid
Robert Redford is not only one of Hollywood's all-time greatest stars, he's also one of the godfathers of independent cinema. He joins us today for a look back on his career as an actor and director, and the founder of the successful Sundance Institute, now in it's 25th year.
Music:
“The Entertainer” performed by Marcus Roberts on The Joy of Joplin (Sony Classical)
“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by Burt Bacharach
“The Way We Were” as sung by Barbra Streisand on the The Way We Were soundtrack
Covering Culture
New York Times theater editor Patti Cohen and associate editor John Darnton tell us about the paper’s approach to covering culture in the Arts and Leisure weekend section.
Music:
Hanging Up Soundtrack, Tracks 3 and 4
Abigail's Party
Jennifer Jason Leigh describes her role in a new off Broadway production of Mike Leigh's “Abigail’s Party.”
» Visit our Guest Picks page to find out what moves Jennifer Jason Leigh
Music:
“Light My Fire” by Jose Feliciano
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, performed by Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (Arte Nova Classics)

Please Explain: Sound Recording
On this week's edition of Please Explain, we explore the evolving technology behind sound recording...from the early days of wax cylinders, to the digital present. We'll also discuss the cultural importance of recorded sound, and the role it's played in our history. We're joined by Evan Eisenberg, the author of The Recording Angel: Music, Records and Culture from Aristotle to Zappa, and Michael Taft, the Head of the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center. Mr. Taft also heads Save our Sounds: America's Recorded Sound Heritage Project for the Library of Congress.
» Listen to some early sound recordings made on wax cylinders
Music: Sonatine Soundtrack, Tracks 6 and 1
- About This Program »
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Guest Hosts »
- Guest Picks »
- Latest Show »
- Tapes & Transcripts »
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Shop at Amazon!
Leonard Lopate Show picks
Start your Amazon shopping on WNYC.org and a portion of your total purchase goes to WNYC.
More
Tributes: Jeanne-Claude
The Leonard Lopate Show
Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.
Video Pick: David Chang on Momofuku
The Leonard Lopate Show
Recent Videos:
- Arthur Schwartz on The Southern Italian Table
- David Plouffe on The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama’s Historic Victory
- Ken Auletta on Googled: The End of the World as We Know It
- Paul Shaffer on We’ll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-Biz Saga
- George Steel on the New York City Opera’s new season
- Gail Collins on When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of Women from 1960 to the Present
- Comments [1]
Let’s Go Swimming!
The Leonard Lopate Show
According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.
- Comments [33]
Frank McCourt
The Leonard Lopate Show
Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.
- Comments [1]
Science and Faith
The Leonard Lopate Show
Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.
FDA to Regulate Tobacco?
The Leonard Lopate Show
May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.
- Comments [9]
Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.
Leonard is on Facebook
Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.
Barack Obama, Circa 2004
The Leonard Lopate Show
Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.
- Comments [4]